Last session of any size today doing a race check. Thanks to Foz for showing me that there are good cycling roads in Sydney!
4 hours on the bike (plus a blown tyre which only took me 8 minutes to change, a vast improvement on before) and then a 40 minute run at race pace.
Feeling good, serious taper time now.

Yes three in fact I know all of them. A ute driver did a U turn in front of them without looking obviously. One went up on the footpath, one hit the ute but he only cut his finger and suffered bruising but the other one went head first into the ute tray. Pretty badly hurt but she's a tough lady and she's recovering now.

Yeah, this is essentially my thinking. I wasn't going to start training 'for-Busso' just yet, but more start doing some of the foundational stuff I need to do in order to be ready to start training in a few months time.
Swimming definitely needs some short term specific focus, particularly around stroke correction. I've done a session with Swim Smooth (was ok, but there wasn't enough take away stuff to really help) and I've done another one-on-one with a coach with a similar result. I feel as though I need a handful of on-on-one sessions with plenty of follow up and correction to really get the motor patterns bedded down well.
I'd love a 1:30 swim, a 6-6:30 bike and a sub 5 hour marathon. That would be a blindly fast IM for me and something to build on in the future.
The other limiting factor I have is a back injury which limits just how much I can do without drugs. It's kind of a balancing act. For example. I rode into the city and back 4 times this week. I tried to run PR today and only managed about 800m before I had pain in my back and down one leg and weakness down the other with a bit of foot drop. I walked the rest at IM pace and beat myself up the whole way.
You're also spot on with the mental bit. It's a bit of a joke between SM and I that I do every at IM pace, even an enticer distance tri. I don't like to hurt, but can and will from time to time if it suits me. Just not often enough to make it count. Something I need to learn to enjoy a bit more.

I leave the planning of next season until 1 June.
The only thing to do in April/ May if you're not doing Port Mac or Byron Bay, is Relax, rest the brain, keep active and stay fit(ish).
I hear Olympic Distance and sprint races are the future of the sport.

Get your money's worth for a triathlon in Noumea. Entry fee was about $70. Race pack is backpack, towel and tshirt. Few other random things including an M&Ms cookbook (unfortunately in French). Also pasta party for lunch today and awards dinner on Monday night.

I was pretty much going to say this. Especially about the swimming. You clearly have poor technique and simply haven’t (& won’t) be getting sufficient feedback from a squad. Go for the ‘one on one’ option. With a coach that knows their stuff and can give feedback. I reckon the best swim ‘toys’ you can use is for the coach to use your iPad video camera from the pool deck so he/she can show you exactly what you are doing wrong when you are in the pool so you can get your head around what he/she is trying to say to you in real time. Sorry that you are W.A. based, I can’t recommend anyone. If you were in Sydney I’d recommend some individual sessions with Charm Friend, VladSwim or Chris Hanrahan. I reckon one session per week with a coach, plus a commitment to get in the water and swim 2-4km an additional two or three times per week by yourself would see you get down to at least 20min/k. over about 30 months.
On the bike, I reckon an electronic ergo trainer and a 90 minute trainer road session twice a week (in addition to those commute rides and a long ride on the weekend) is the best value for time/effort investment you can make.
There areno shortcuts on the run, except running. Try to do 5km off the bike on your long day and quality runs immediately after your commute rides. But thee is no avoiding that 2hr weekly long run ...
geez I’m tied just writing that. See you on the start line in Busso!

I'm being coached by Michelle Duffield, maybe send her an email? Swimming wise, squads would be good, but could be a problem if you're really slow!? What about getting a video analysis done, Swim Smooth with Paul Newsome.

Start with stroke correction. Either one-on-one or a small class. Then go back to squad.
The coach at squad is monitoring too many swimmers to give you the attention your swimming currently requires.
Cycle in a group at least once a week with faster riders, or with training partner(s) of slightly better ability.
Do a large variety of races over winter, including choosing an event or two that's a new challenge for you.
Have some time/performance goals in races other than Busso.
Basically, do all things that I'm neglecting to do.

A different Anzac day.
We did not go to the dawn service this year nor watched anything on the TV. We decided to make our first visit to my great great relatives in The Oaks Cemetery. They are on my father's side, who I have had no contact since I was six years old. My wife had done a lot of work looking back over 200 years of that side of my family.
We also celebrated Anzac day by visiting our countryside, Camden, The Oaks, Burragorang Lookout, Picton then a nice lunch at the Bowling Club. Seeing hundreds of people out with their family and friends is really a great feeling and having those that gave so much in our thoughts and hearts.
FM

I did the B&B swim this morning at Manly. They had a 10 minutes or so service and the last post. Then about 1000 people did the swim.
I was lucky enough to be one of the first to hit Fairy bower and when I stood on the beach and looked back at about 1000 pink swim caps all coming towards us it was an amazing site.

Its good to hear youre enjoying time with you family. Sometimes our views & feelings change about 'family' when we have kids &/or we lose a parent. So sorry to hear about your Dad. For me, 5yrs isnt that long & there are probably a mix of feelings just under the surface. Take the time to mourn your Dad if you feel you havent because sometimes those feeling turn up when you least expect & not always a convenient time either!
Enjoy what you have now, you cant change what did or didnt happened but you can do stuff from now to enjoy 'family' ...sounds like youre doing it right now.
Have a great family Easter FP x

Ultra Trail Australia - May 16th to 19th 2019
It's an event that I've been planning to do for a while.
I believe there may be one or two other Trannies going around.
Anybody wanna catch up before or during the event?
Edit - Oops, just realised there's a UTA 2019 thread so I'll post there.

My wifey is doing the 100 and that means I probably will just so I can beat her... She's got me over the short stuff now (she's gone from a 33min 5km runner to under 22 so far - must be the coach )
Anything half mara and over is the only shit I can beat her in now, that being said, my reign as supreme master might be over in Marathons come november I'll just keep reminding her of how fast I was with my PBs
There is 9 of the RunWith squad hitting up various UTA events.

I'm in for the 100.
I did the 50 in 2015. Started the 100 in 2016 but pulled out at the 60km checkpoint. I was feeling utterly terrible from about 10km. Was chasing the individual checkpoint cutoffs. I was weak, lighheaded and could hardly move uphill . ad to sit own about every 10m on the up bits.
But I wanted to get throughat least the section up o the overlap with the 50. Nellies Glen was the worst I have felt in my life (and I had done 100's before). 3 or 4 steps, then rest. Had the sweepers with me most of it, and felt so bad they were stuck with me.
Overtook someone at the top, sidled into the CP at the Rec Centre and abandoned. They tried to convince me to go on, as I looked and sounded fine. But I knew how I felt on the uphills, knew what was coming, and didn't want to put others in a bad place if I hit my limit in the midle of nowhere at 3am.
Turns out I was very very sick, and still working my way back to health.
So I'm looking to get it done this time!
ETA: I wasn't planning on doing it, and had been cursing all the FB and IG reminders. Then in about 4 seconds when I saw the "150 spots left" post, I decided and entered.